LAGOS, Nigeria — “The Benin Monarchy: An Anthology of Benin History” is a one-of-a-kind book on the kingdom of Benin in what is now southwestern Nigeria and whose history dates back to the 900s. The Benin empire is one of the world’s oldest royal dynasties, which was also one of West Africa’s most powerful kingdoms until the late 19th century.
It is not to be confused with country Benin, formerly known as Dahomey and bordered by Togo to the west and Nigeria to the east. Benin the country was under French colonial rule until 1960.
